# Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year Old Jamaica Rum Review



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

*Appleton Estate Extra 12 Year - 43% ABV

*​My wife and I went on our honeymoon to Jamaica back in 2010 and that's when I was introduced to Appleton rum. unfortunately, we were on the opposite side of the island and I didn't get to go to the factory. Next time we go back to Jamaica, we will be staying on the side of the island where the Appleton Estate sits.

Their rums are a bit unique from any other kind of rum I've had. This 12 year rum is to be drank with a drop of water or neat so I tried it. It was the first rum I have ever had neat so it took a LOT of getting used to.
This rum has an EXTREME oak flavor, maybe even a Burnt Oak flavor which kind of makes me wonder about a rumor that says they age their rum in old Jack Daniel barrels.

I haven't found a rum that I can honestly say I enjoy neat yet. This rum is pretty bold for me as I am used to rum mixed with soda.

I brought back two bottles of this from Jamaica and I will let them sit until I get used to drinking rum neat.

I believe I paid like $25.00 at the airport for this rum. Over here in the USA, It's somewhere in the $40-$60 range I think. 
​
*"A masterpiece of oak aging. All Appleton Estate aged rums adhere to Scottish-English law, which means that all the rums contained in the blend must reflect, at a minimum, the specific age noted on the bottle. Every drop of Appleton Estate 12 Year Old is aged a minimum of 12 years. This lengthy aging in small oak casks creates a full-bodied sipping rum comparable to the finest X.O cognacs. Magnificent for sipping neat or with a touch of water."

"Deep in the heart of Jamaica's lush countryside is rum's heaven: the Nassau Valley. Here sits the legendary Appleton Estate, where water is filtered by nature's hand as it percolates for miles through unmapped limestone hills before it flows into the Appleton Estate spring. In this warm, verdant setting, Appleton Estate has been perfecting the art of making handcrafted rum for over 260 years.

The Nassau Valley has ideal conditions for growing sugar cane, a unique micro-climate where the mornings are warm and sunny and the afternoons experience gentle rain showers. The soil of the Nassau Valley is extremely fertile, and this also allows our sugar cane to flourish. The different species of sugar cane that we grow are specially selected for the unique character that they impart to our rums.

All Appleton Estate Jamaica rum is produced on this single estate - a small circumscribed geographic area where the "terroir" imparts a unique character. The Estate-grown sugar cane is individually harvested and distilled, adding distinctive buttery, fruity notes to the rums. Our proprietary generations-old natural yeast culture contributes to Appleton's dynamic fermentation process."*

Thanks!


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

Josh, try Ron Zacapa, if you can find it, neat. Best damn sipping rum ever.

Oh, btw, good review and right on the money.


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

piperdown said:


> Josh, try Ron Zacapa, if you can find it, neat. Best damn sipping rum ever.
> 
> Oh, btw, good review and right on the money.


Got some, don't really care for it.

I think I have the 12 year.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

huskers said:


> Got some, don't really care for it.
> 
> I think I have the 12 year.


Ron Zacapa is available in the 23 or the XO. I've never seen or heard of a 12 yr old. And it is sweet, meaning cane sugar sweet.


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

Just went and looked, what I have is Zaya 12 year, not zacapa.


----------



## piperdown (Jul 19, 2009)

huskers said:


> Just went and looked, what I have is Zaya 12 year, not zacapa.


Zayas not bad but it needs to be mixed. Can't imagine sipping that straight....

Jelly here on going back to Jamaica.... Haven't been since '97.


----------



## ezlevor (Oct 29, 2012)

My brother in law got some Zaya and we were sipping it on the rocks.


----------



## huskers (Oct 2, 2012)

ezlevor said:


> My brother in law got some Zaya and we were sipping it on the rocks.


It wasn't horrible but just not for me, I'd rather have it with some coke myself.


----------



## Frodo (Oct 1, 2009)

piperdown said:


> Josh, try Ron Zacapa, if you can find it, neat. Best damn sipping rum ever.


BTW on a couple of whisky boards, there's a copy of a report by the Liqour Control Board in Sweden about testing for added sugar in rums. Zacapa is one of the worst offenders at 41g/L. Meaning it is heavily adulterated. Now I like Zacapa. My problem with it is paying the prices they want for heavily adulterated rum.


----------

